Welcome back to Behind the Stacks! It’s starting to feel like fall again and your local librarians are more than ready for sweater weather! Stop by the Ora Mason Library in October to pick up their adult take & make kit–a DIY Mini Pumpkin Scrub.
This craft is perfect as a seasonal self-care treat, made from natural ingredients including olive oil, brown sugar, a dash of pink Himalayan salt, white granulated sugar, and a hint of pumpkin essential oil.
Recently, we had the exciting opportunity to team up with the Savin Rock Theatre Company as they held a performance of their play Daddy Long Legs at our Ora Mason Branch! It was a fantastic turnout, and we are always happy to partner with other community organizations to provide Westies with the best recreational and educational opportunities! Also returning to Ora Mason is the Friends of the Library book sale. Many of you are familiar with the ongoing book sale at the Main Library–now Ora Mason will have books available for purchase in addition to their Puzzle Sale.
Most of our patrons are aware of the several book clubs hosted by the library, but have you ever wanted to start a book club of your own? Not only can we arrange to have multiple copies of certain titles sent to the library for pickup, but we also have our own dedicated book club kits in house that are available for checkout! The book club kits come complete with 5 to 8 copies of each title, and, upon request, we can provide some discussion questions/topics for your group. Call or stop by the Main Library for more information or to browse our collection of book club kits.
Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and the library has plenty of activities to learn, create, and celebrate the rich Hispanic culture. Children can attend a drop-in craft to create Worry Dolls. Originating in Guatemala and Mexico, children created these small dolls and whispered their worries to them.
At night, kids placed the dolls under their pillows and when they wake in the morning, the dolls have given the children insight and wisdom to help ease their anxieties! We will also host a Tween Cooking session with Shop Rite Dietitian Siddhi Sheth to make healthy & delicious snacks inspired by Hispanic Heritage Month.
Finally, learn more about the history of Puerto Rico through Rebellious Rhythms: Exploring Puerto Rican History Through Reggaetón. This interactive public history series makes Puerto Rican history accessible to the public by examining the island’s political and social history through the lens of reggaetón music — a genre historically marginalized yet deeply rooted in narratives of resistance, cultural expression, and community identity. Attend all three sessions in the series or just one!
We are halfway through Library Card Sign Up Month and, so far, we’ve got more than 70 patrons participating. Adults can sign up for a library card or renew their existing card and anyone under 18 simply has to show their library card to be entered to win a prize! Speaking of prizes, we are looking forward to seeing many of you later this month at the Apple Festival on the West Haven Green–keep an eye out for our table and participate in our new guessing challenge: The Candy Corn Count.
We will also have copies of the West Havenopoly board game for sale. This fun piece of memorabilia combines the classic fun of Monopoly with historic (and nostalgic) West Haven landmarks. All proceeds benefit the West Haven Rotary Club and the Friends of the West Haven Library! We can’t wait to see you there.